Equal pension is no favour to soldiers

Anil Kaul says the government needs to change its attitude towards the armed forces...
VETERANS,
MY friend, have to choose between being forgotten, mocked or used. As for being understood: never.”
Albert Camus words are ringing true in case of Indian army veterans, who are threatening to intensify their four-year-old agitation unless the government accepts their demand for one rank one pension (OROP) by 15 August.
One rank one pension implies uniform pension for army personnel retiring in the same rank with the same length of service irrespective of their date of retirement, and mandates that any future enhancement in the rates of pension be automatically passed on to past pensioners. The demand was raised way back in 1981 and still remains unresolved. The six-member committee under Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth that has been looking into it, has been asked by the government to finalise its recommendations and submit a report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by 8 August. The PM is likely to announce some welfare measures for defence veterans including ‘one-rank-one-pension’ on 15 August. It has already been discussed in detail by a Rajya Sabha Petition Committee headed by Bhagat Singh Koshiyari. Given below are some examples how the recommendations of the Koshiyari committee negate the very spirit of pension laid down by the Supreme Court — that it is not pay but payment for services rendered — and parity in its allotment.
1. “The pre 1 Jan 2006 retirees get the same pension as the post 1 Jan 2006 retirees by matching the three factors that govern the pensions of ex-servicemen i.e. the rank, the length of service and the trade (in case of all ranks below officer ranks only). After this is affected, any future increases be automatically applied to old pensioners. The family, disabilities and dependents’ pensions be included for the purpose of this definition. This, however, does not mean the grant of pensionary benefits such as DCRG and additional value of commutation pension.”
This definition, by no stretch of imagination, includes annual increments in pensions as is given to serving soldiers.
2. Notwithstanding the Rajya Sabha Committee Report that was presented on 19 December 2011, in 2013, a post 2006 retiree Brigadier (equivalent to a deputy secretary) will get more pension than a post 2006 retiree Major General (equivalent to a joint secretary). The protection clause for the Major Generals would have to be applied or Military Service Pay will have to be extended to Major Generals. This is the mess created by the government in the 6th Central Pay Commission. Now compare this with pre 2006 retirees. The pension of a post 2012 retiree Colonel (equivalent to a director), on both time scale and selection grade is Rs 35,841, whereas a pre 2006 retiree Major General’s pension is Rs 26,700. You cannot have three rank juniors getting more pension than the seniors. OROP is being demanded for army personnel because it is a rank-based hierarchy, whose terms and conditions are different from other professions. As such armymen under the same rank and with same years of service should get the same pension irrespective of their dates of retirement and should continue to get it in perpetuity. But in their desperation to fool the unwary veterans, the bureaucrats have added the point of annual increment in pension as per the serving soldiers to the award of OROP. But ex-servicemen (ESM) don’t want annual increment in pensions. A serving soldier gets annual increment for a year’s service, how can a pensioner claim the same for his retired service? OROP, as per the definition given, means full parity with the latest rates of pension for past pensioners. Once granted there are no increments till a revision by a CPC.
3. Successive governments in the past have claimed that OROP was untenable and meeting it would cost a bomb. The anomaly was created by the 5th and 6th Pay Commissions. The Congress had promised OROP in its poll manifesto in 2004. However, the UPA government rejected the OROP demand in December 2008, after which ex-servicemen returned their gallantry medals to the President. Following protracted protests, a committee was set up under Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrasekhar to review the OROP issues. On the panel’s suggestion, the Centre has now agreed to substantially hike the pension of JCOs and other ranks. The pension of such personnel who retired before 10 October, 1997 will be brought at par with the pension of those retired after that date. The pension of those who retired before 1 January, 2006 — including the 1997 group — will be substantially hiked to come close to those who retired after the cut-off date of 1 January, 2006. This is not OROP but near parity.
Soldiers rightfully deserve better than this after the sacrifices they make. The government needs to address this trust deficit in all earnest. Half-hearted measures won’t help.
Kaul, a retired officer, is the author of Better Dead Than Disabled. The views expressed here are personal.
vrcanilkaul(at)hotmail(dot)com
Click here for the original post- Tehelka
Comment: The MOD Bureaucrats having destroyed the command control structure of the Armed Forces are now in the game of reducing Ranks in the Military to a Mockery- Now we see the true results- Revolts in the Services. Will the Defence Minister take Charge?

Hockey: National Game on Death Row

Gen VK Singh launches Col Balbir’s autobiography. Tuesday, 29 May 2012 13:51
New Delhi: Indian Army Chief General V K Singh, on Monday launched the autobiography of 1968 Mexico Olympic medallist, Col. (Retd) Balbir Singh Kular in the city. Christened as ‘Sansarpur to London Olympics’, by 1968 Mexico Olympic medallist and current national selector Col. (Retd) Balbir Singh Kular becomes, first book to be available for both computer and mobile downloads.
Published by Indian Sports Books and by using the technological brilliance of handygo Techcnologies, this book attempts to reach out to Indian hockey fans world across through online and digital formats as well.
“Sansarpur to London Olympics”, co-authored by sports film maker Sunil Yash Kalra, is a unique book of personal memoir, with interesting compilation of stories, funny anecdotes, sensational revelations and heart-warming vignettes of his life in the Army and as a hockey player and coach. The book is a treasure-trove of rare photographs, some of which date back to the days of the ‘Wizard of Hockey’, Maj Dhyan Chand. In places it reads like a thriller, at others like an intimate autobiography. All in all a thunderously good read, almost unputdownable!
1968 Olympic medalist, Col Balbir Singh Kular hails from Sansarpur, a village in Punjab that has produced 14 Olympic medallists since 1932 US Olympics. Right from an early age, Col Balbir Singh was obviously marked for greatness; his upbringing at Sansarpur – the matrix of Indian hockey in the halcyon days of global supremacy – aided by his inimitable genes, burning desire to emulate his forefathers, and his induction into the Indian Army all combined to catapult him to stardom.
Gen VK Singh launches Col Balbir’s autobiography

President Pratibha Patil who serves and lives in Royal Style: Will she be remembered in History?

Pained at fallacious observations regarding post retirement home President of India decides to forego her accommodation
The President of India, Smt. Pratibha Devisingh Patil has been reading and watching the unfolding of some fallacious observations regarding the accommodation in Pune which she was to occupy after relinquishing the office of the President. She chose not to react as she has always held herself answerable to the Constitution of our country and her conscience. It was expected that once the facts were made public it would convince the concerned people. But despite clarifications given by the President's Secretariat, it is unfortunate that the misgivings continue to persist.
What has pained the President the most is the fact that she is now being portrayed by some people as one who, by agreeing to accept a defence accommodation for her post retirement home, is insensitive to the cause of war widows and ex-servicemen. But facts are to the contrary. She has always been proud of our brave jawans who are ever-ready to display their spirit of sacrifice while defending our borders. She has the highest regards for our war widows who have lost their dear ones for the sake of security and integrity of the nation. To express solidarity, boost their morale and to gain first hand experience of the hardships faced by our Defence Forces, she visited far flung army establishments like those in Tangdhar, Bhadarwah, Leh, to name a few, and several distant inhospitable forward areas in the North East. She would be the last person to ever think of dislocating or coming in the way of creating facilities for our war widows and ex-servicemen.
Women’s issues have always been her concern and those of war widows particularly occupy a very special place in her mind. She has worked relentlessly towards their welfare and would like people to know that as Governor of Rajasthan she personally wrote to 1192 war widows to help resolve their problems. Here is an article which appeared in the Hindustan Times a few years ago which said:
"Away from the media glare, Rajasthan Governor Pratibha Patil is quietly attending to problems of hundreds of war widows. She has asked the war widows to contact or see her personally. Over 1000 letters have been posted in the past one month as the Raj Bhavan gets deluged with responses. Now, Patil receives around two dozen letters every day while a number of widows of martyrs meet her personally with problems. Their letters are being forwarded to the concerned department in the State Government for suitable action." (Anjul Tomar, Jaipur May-2, 2005).
As Governor, she had instructed all the District Collectors of Rajasthan to inform her regularly about the progress in resolving the problems of war widows. Under her directions, a State Level Committee was constituted with the Director, Sainik Kalyan Board, Rajasthan as its Chairman to address the issues affecting the war widows on a priority. The District Collectors were also instructed to organize camps at Sub-Divisional level for hearing the war widows and to solve their grievances expeditiously.
She ensured that the newly constructed 'War Widows Hostel and Rehabilitation Centre' at Jaipur was allocated Rs. 2 crore from the Amalgamated Fund of the Governor to facilitate its smooth functioning. The District Sainik Kalyan Officers were invited to Raj Bhavan, Jaipur and were advised to make wide publicity about the Hostel and Rehabilitation Centre so that no war widow was denied the facility for want of information.
Once there was a news item in Dainik Bhaskar, Jaipur Edition of 9th March 2005 that the Headquarters of Western Army Command would be temporarily shifted to the War Widows Hostel & Rehabilitation Centre. She took up the matter with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan immediately. The then Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje promptly responded through her letter, that the headquarters of Western Army Command would be relocated elsewhere and that the War Widows Hostel & Rehabilitation Centre would not be utilized as Headquarters of Western Command or for any other purpose.
If as Governor she had pursued the matters of war widows with such passion and concern, and if she had objected to even the temporary shifting of the Western Command Headquarters to the War Widows Hostel and Rehabilitation Centre in Jaipur, would she ever think of dislocating or come in the way of creating accommodation for war widows or occupy a property allegedly meant for any such purpose as her post retirement home? The accommodation proposed to be allocated to her by the Ministry of Defence was never indicated as one earmarked for war widows. It was to be allotted to her for use as her post retirement residence only during her lifetime with no rights of ownership, transfer lease, etc. However, considering the fact that the issue has got linked with the issue of war widows accommodation by some people, the President has chosen to forego the aforesaid allotment of accommodation proposed to be made to her as her post retirement home in Pune.
Hope this will put an end to all misgivings in this regard.
PIB Release-click here
Comment: Honourable President trying to shed crocodile tears for the defence forces who still remain exploited by all the Polical Forces to downgrade them to a non- entity. Where is justice for the Patriotic Jawans who guard the nation 24x7? The Supreme Commander's response sadly has remained negative. Her luxurious style of living at tax payers expense is most disgusting and telling proof of her indifference.

Chennai: Ex-Army officer gets life for murder of teenager

A retired Army officer has been sentenced to a lifetime in prison for the murder of a teenager who was shot dead while plucking almonds from a tree in Army property in Chennai.
Retired army officer Lt Col Kandasami Ramraj was today given the life term by a Chennai court for killing 13-year-old Dilshan on July 3 last year. Dilshan had trespassed into the Army officers residence on Flag Staff Road, Chennai to pluck fruits.
Ramraj was arrested on July 10, 2011 by the CB-CID for the murder. He has maintained he was innocent in the case, which largely stood on circumstantial evidence. But the Chennai court today upheld the murder charge against the retired Lt Colonel.
Dilshan, who stayed in a locality adjacent to the Army quarters, fell victim to a mysterious bullet while collecting almonds. His family alleged he was shot by an Army personnel.
The post-mortem report established a bullet injury had killed Dilshan when he scaled the Army campus.
Following a public outcry, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa ordered a probe by the Crime Branch. Subsequent probe pointed at the Lt Colonel as the possible offender.
Lt Col Ramraj gets life term for murder

General VK Singh withdraws his petition on age row

Updated Feb 10, 2012 at 03:57pm IST
Age row: General VK Singh withdraws his petition
New Delhi: Army Chief General VK Singh has withdrawn his petition filed in the Supreme Court on the controversy over his date of birth. General Singh's counsel UU Lalit told the two-judge bench of Justice RM Lodha and Justice HL Gokhale that they do not wish to press the matter any further in the court. The apex court also asked the General to give an undertaking that he would accept his date of birth as May 10, 1950 within the next 48 hours.

The petition was withdrawn after Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati told the apex court that the government had never questioned the bonafide or integrity of General Singh and contesting the petition did not reflect any lack of confidence in the Army Chief.

Earlier, Vahanvati had told the bench that even though the government was resisting General Singh's plea, it was not against the highly decorated soldier.

General Singh's lawyer Puneet Bali said that the petition was withdrawn as the Army Chief was fighting for his honour and integrity. Claiming that the petition was not about General Singh's tenure, Bali said that the petition was only about determining the correct date of birth.

"The Government of India and the General sorted out the matter gracefully and amicably. Right from the time the petition was filed in the court, it was a matter of integrity. This petition was not meant for extension of service. We are satisfied with the court's ruling as the honour and integrity (of the General) has been restored. The honour and integrity is restored, and it wasn't meant to be beyond that for us. The matter has been amicably solved and we have withdrawn the matter," said Bali.

Adding that "this is the end of the matter", he said that they don't plan to agitate further on the matter.

Earlier, in a major setback to General Singh, the Supreme Court directed him to accept May 10, 1950 as his date of birth and asked him to withdraw his plea or else the court would pass an order on it. The General would complete his tenure as Army Chief on May 31, 2012 and retire on the same date.
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The ‘age row’ – Coup against the Army Chief

Dear All,
In this article (link given below) written even before the Army Chief went seeking justice to court, the author has raised some very significant questions. He has also hinted at some conspiracy having been hatched behind the closed doors. All said and done, it must be said that the aggrieved general has so far conducted himself with commendable restraint and dignity. Some eyebrows have been raised against the Army Chief' for his seeking the legal remedy. Why should a soldier's right to seek justice raise hackles? After all, he is going to the highly esteemed and honourable Supreme Court which will only uphold fairness of law. In what way is it demeaning? In fact not seeking such a recourse and lumping injustice would be highly demeaning for any upright soldier.

Corruption having made inroads even in the Armed Forces, some vested interests within OGs and Babus in the South Block may have personal grudge to paint such judicious actions as defiance and arrogance but far from being so, General VK Singh's action is absolutely within his legal and bonafide rights with no trace of defiance or arrogance against the Authority which, he feels, has erred in its judgement.

Even the Government and the President of India seek court's legal opinion to tackle various disputes including those involving Govt officials. Therefore, one hopes that the Government would be well advised to face the honourable Court with open mind welcoming its verdict with magnanimity. If it did so, it would be a message to the world that 'Rule of Law' has relevance and respect in an emerging India - world's largest Democracy which has a chance to become world's 'Best Democracy' too.

Why not raise our voice against corruption and injustice wherever we come across the malaise? May Truth alone prevail - but in corruption ridden Kaliyuga it needs your helping hand!
Jai Hind,
Hitesh
The ‘age row’ – Coup against the Army Chief By Karan Kharb

Happy Republic Day

Time proven methods to combat corruption in the Armed Forces

Extracts from Brig Grant Memorial Lecture by Lt Gen Ashok Joshi(Retd) PVSM, AVSM
Aberrations and Correctives

Many of us have listened to the Army Chief on the TV and seen his very visible concern and anguish. Yes, something has gone wrong and the system cries out for correction. We know that he must be very busy thinking of remedies to put things right. Such things are not amenable to brain waves. We are sure that a great soul searching in on. Even so, here are some ideas about what could be done.

I remember one of the former Army Chiefs thinking aloud in exasperation thus: “Is there a chain command downwards, and a chain of contempt upwards?” Contempt and command do not coexist. A commander who is visibly guilty of wrongdoing axes his own moral authority; thereafter he is a commander only notionally. His leadership has evaporated. He merely occupies the appointment and puts on the rank. His subordinates obey him when they want to or when they cannot get away. A commander who cannot enforce his will by inspiring his subordinates is dead wood. This is the worst adverse impact of corruption. Such a person has to go and this has to be achieved without causing even greater collateral damage. Court martial of a senior commander brings in its wake the very philosophy of military command. Military ethics do not allow a subordinate to sit in judgment over orders that he has got. He is not expected to examine its legality, or to hesitate. An inquiry and court martial calls into question the entire spectrum of orders that he might have given—including many legal and appropriate ones—but now the subordinates who give evidence are likely to suspect everything. This needs to be avoided. The man must be persuaded to go. Such things have been done in the past and it works provided the senior commanders bring to bear their moral authority and they are supported by the powers that be. Legally valid provisions exist.

It is only right that the Armed Forces should take the latest aberrations very seriously, appoint study groups, and chart out a course of action. It is better to look at the larger picture than waste energy and time on proven bad hats. The rot has taken a generation to spread; it may take that long to be eliminated.

A Russian proverb says that the fish will rot from the head. It is very meaningful as far as the Armed Forces are concerned. If the rot is to be stopped the beginning is to be made at the top. In a strictly hierarchical organization in which example is nine points of teaching, correction at the top will yield results in a comparatively short time, and some changes need to be brought about in short order so that the impulse travels down swiftly.

With a single fiat, the senior officers could refuse to dine in places where cooking is not done in messes. “Five stars are out, officers’ messes are in” should be the simple message. The Armed Forces have prided themselves over the years in not making an invidious distinction between the junior most officers and the senior most. There must be no fundamental difference in life style. Shared life styles in messes creates cohesiveness; a la carte culture of exotic foods and wines for seniors destroys it. It is nothing short of shocking that some of the units and institutions have gotten in the habit of employing event managers. One day, some one may want to employ an event manager to stage an opposed river crossing. Have become so very redolent and laid back in the wise of nawabs of days gone by? You will soon be looking subsidiary armies. Some Arthur Wellesley may be waiting in the wings.

Hardihood is a professional requirement of the Armed Services: “luxury must be out and hardihood must be in”. Mere athletic prowess is not enough. Sports, in particular, team games must be ruled in; and the fancy gym-culture can be kept at an arms length.

The Corporate culture is the very antithesis of the subculture in the Armed Forces. Their differing value systems are derived from different attitudes to life. Profit making by the corporate sector involves earning the best price that the buyer is willing to concede based on the principle ‘caveat emptor’, even if some of the profit is later ploughed back into the Society in charity to good causes. The Armed Forces teach an individual that he must yield a little more to the common good than what he gets in return. Leadership in the Armed Forces is about winning battles at all costs, not about claiming bonus on profit. Interestingly, it is amusing to note that the prefix Honourable appeared in the name of the East India Company.

Some of the algorithms, devices, and techniques learnt and taught in management institutions certainly improve efficiency and productivity. They must be learnt from the industry and the corporate and business houses, but the Armed Forces must shun the corporate culture that puts price on everything. What price do you place on life and limb of a man, or on his long separation from his family, or on defeat or victory for that matter? Corporate houses can live for years on low or no profits, or they may acquired by some other, but there is no prize for runners-up in our profession as Field Marshal Maneckshaw was fond of reminding us. Corporate houses serve the country well. But for their entrepreneurial drive and skills of the corporate sector national wealth would not increase. We need them but our values are different. The Armed Forces ought to respect them but keep the difference. The Armed Force certainly need to incorporate respect in the value scale but for which they cannot become an organic part of the nation.

Problems that arise from avarice and greed are far more difficult to get rid off. However, conspicuous display of wealth could be discouraged. Our contemporaries did see the prince of Baroda, Kapurthala, Jaipur ride bicycles to work and the mess. There was a well thought out purpose behind this.

Close contact with civil administration cannot be avoided during long drawn out counter-insurgency operation or during aid to civil authority. Officers and men both learn bad habits. Such units may actually have to be quarantined for a while.

Local purchases and procurement can and do contaminate the Armed Forces. Central procurement agencies must be told in categorical terms that they had better earn there keep; a failure in central procurement would not be tolerated. At least the units would be protected from the virus resident in local purchases.

It must be made difficult to hide ill-gotten gains or their display by claiming that they are inherited. Suitable declarations can be designed so that a senior officer knows that he cannot account for his ill-gotten wealth by making false claims of inheritance.

An institution of advisory council could be created, e.g. the Army Advisory Council, comprising six elected three star Generals, the serving Chief, and presided over by an elected former Chief. All matters concerning the effectiveness, efficiency, and reputation of the Army could be discussed.
Conclusion

At times like these, one recalls the poetic lines. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness.” We still have fresh memories of Siachen and Kargil; of our ships dealing very decisively with pirates; of our Air Force performing exceedingly well in joint exercises with the Sukhois in the showcase. The pay commission has generally yielded a reasonable deal for those serving at present in Armed Forces. You have Honda Cities in the parking lots of officers’ messes. But, then there is news about land scams in the Army, cases of molestation and misappropriations in the news—everything that brings uneasiness.

Hardihood is a prime professional requirement, most definitely for the Army. Soft life and luxury have to be abjured in professional interest even when you can afford. We must not emulate the US forces by opting for ways of living which do not suit us.

Eventually, these aberrations would go, one hopes. But some deconstruction would have to be undertaken before the mansion is restored to its former glory.

Army chief warns brass against Adarsh-like scams

Josy Joseph, TNN, Oct 29, 2010, 02.28am IST
NEW DELHI: The multi-crore Adarsh Society scam reverberated at the Army commanders' conference on Thursday, with Army chief Gen V K Singh asking his top brass to guard against such controversies in areas under their jurisdiction and ensure the image of the Army is not further tarred.

The scam over senior officers and influential persons owning apartments in the controversial Adarsh Housing Society in Colaba saw Gen Singh departing from his scripted interaction and underlining that the Army cannot afford more such debacles that would erode public trust in the institution.

The Army chief told senior commanders that "they have to ensure no such controversies erupt in their respective areas", sources said. The heads of the army commands and principal staff officers - who are the senior most Lt Generals of the Army - are attending the biannual commanders' conference.
Read more: Click here
Adarsh scam: Defence probe points to criminal conspiracy
Read more: click here

Gen Deepak Kapoor in the dock- in Colaba seafront?
The ministry of defence is collating all the relevant information from the three reports and is contemplating “punitive action” against its retired and serving personnel and the housing society. The options being considered included probes by CBI and by Income Tax on the money trail for the housing project. It will also ask the Army and Navy to initiate a court of inquiry into the serving personnel’s role in the episode to find out who transferred the land to the society, how they did it and when it was carried out.
Adarsh Society: Former Army chief seeks meeting with Antony: The Hindu

General Deepak Kapoor's greed surpasses his hearing disability?
Kapoor has been accused of owning a total of six properties in Mumbai, Gurgaon and Delhi's Dwarka district. In August, Ambica Banerjee, who is an MP of Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress, wrote to the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister, asking how the General afforded these assets. Sources in the Defence Ministry say Kapoor has told Antony that he welcomes a formal investigation. Banerjee's formal letter of complaint states that in addition to the now-returned Adarsh flat, Kapoor owns a flat in Dwarka (a Delhi suburb), three houses in Gurgaon, and a penthouse in Lokhandwala in Mumbai. (Read: Does General Kapoor own five houses) Banerjee states that he has no documents to back these allegations, but that the information was given to him by a source he describes as a reliable government officer.
Read more at:
Does he own 5 houses? General Kapoor meets Antony
Adarsh Society Scam Members List

Tweaking Officers ACRs to guard against corruption and laundering black money
The Yearly Property Return of Officers should be indexed or attached alongwith the ACR Forms like the Annual Medical Report.

Tailpiece
SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL- We Proved You Right (Interned in a Grave- he is smiling!)
I hope we can prove him wrong ultimately...
Have we proved him wrong or right?
Read what he wrote 64 years ago...
He wrote ...
"Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw. They will have sweet tongues & silly hearts. They will fight amongst themselves for power & India will be lost in political squabbles. A day would come when even air & water would be taxed in India."
Incredible Man; we proved him right ...
Corrupt Indians; we proved him right ...

CWG: Sports Structures in Shambles

Learning from CWG
Business standard Sunday, Oct 17, 2010
Instead of learning from the forces, are we doing to defence what we did to sports
Suresh Bangara / October 15, 2010, 0:20 IST
If India can organise a Republic Day parade every year with great efficiency, and could recently host successfully World Military Games, why did it mess up the organisation of the Commonwealth Games (CWG)?

What is common to successful mass events is an empowered structure with clear demarcation of responsibility and accountability. The CWG failed due to an absence of a centralised command structure. Responsibilities were not demarcated, there were too many “Indians” and no chiefs, and, what is more, everyone had an excuse not to own up responsibility.

November 13, 2003 was the date on which the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) resolved to hand over the Games to Delhi. In accordance with article 10A, the host city contract was inked by the Government of India (GoI), the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi(GNCTD), the IOA and the CGF. The organisation of the entire event was allotted to the Organising Committee (OC) of the CWG.

The key delivery partners listed on the website are the CGF, the IOA, the OC CWG, the GNCTD and the GoI in that order. It also states that several ministries of the GoI and several organisations under the GNCTD and others would be involved in execution.

Even a prima facie analysis of this structure would point to the fact that the coordination of such a complex body cannot be vested with a committee which has no authority over the key delivery partners. In the Indian context, hierarchy and individual egos play a vital role in the smooth functioning of the organisation. At times, collective organisational goals are sacrificed to appease individual aspirations. Presumably, these considerations caused undue delays of about two years before the OC came into existence on February 10, 2005 — a faulty and toothless structure from day one.

Although representatives of all the delivery partners were constituted on the committee, raising alarms at the CWG meetings, when deadline after deadline failed to be met by their parent organisation, is not a practical proposition. Having taken full responsibility for staging the best ever Games, as outlined on the website, the OC perhaps continued at best as a mute spectator to inter-ministerial red tape and embarrassing delays in execution.

What is needed in the globalised, highly competitive and demanding environment is to professionalise our decision-making structures to include experts in negotiations, project management and other niche areas.

A look at the ministry which manages the armed forces of India in the above context would be instructive. The defence ministry has the responsibility to handle the rapidly increasing defence budget, which is more than twice the amount allotted to the CWG, but on a yearly basis. Is it structured to meet all the requirements of the armed forces of India?

First, since 1952, the three chiefs along with their headquarters were removed from the decision-making structure of the GoI. They were designated as the “attached offices” of the ministry. In effect, all communications from the armed forces were to be addressed only to the ministry and no decision-making power and executive power was to reside with the chiefs, save those related to operations. Not even the revenue budget could be operated by the chief to merely run the service as it existed. The chiefs could send their recommendations and plans for modernisation, which effectively rested at the table of some functionary without even an acknowledgement. The ministry continued to be manned by generalists — civil servants who often learnt about the armed forces after they were placed in the chair.

While the authority to take decisions with the concurrence of the minister was vested with the ministry, there were no provisions for accountability. Having been removed from the chain, the chiefs could only make proposals and could not be held accountable. The procurement of Advanced Jet Trainers(AJTs) for the Air Force took over two decades, by which time costs had escalated by 500 per cent. The decision to induct Gorshkov took over a decade, by which time the deteriorating cables of the ship warranted doubling of the original cost. Many thousand crores are surrendered unspent year after year despite the urgent operational needs of the Army. There are no clear-cut penalties for procrastination and opportunity costs incurred thereof. Are these not the ills of the CWG as well?

Second, integration of the ministry with the armed forces by placing uniformed professionals at appropriate desks of the ministry is a successful model practised by other democracies. Similar structures were recommended by the Committee on Defence Management after the Kargil war. Cosmetic changes in nomenclature with no corresponding powers were the only action taken to show compliance.

Thirdly, the Kargil Review Committee did recommend the creation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as a single-point adviser to the defence minister on all matters of planning, acquisition etc. This has been stalled by status quo-ists within and without the armed forces. The result is the continuation of a toothless Chiefs of Staff Committee, which was first recommended in 1924 and which is still in existence only in India. Almost all armed forces of countries that matter have opted for a fully integrated structure with accountability, while we continue to live in denial of a serious structural infirmity.

The CWG 2010 has brought disrepute to the country due to delays in implementation despite seven years to prepare. We can live with it, for soon it will be forgotten. However, continued denial of structural weaknesses in the defence department has the potential to lay our country in the dust. Until then, incapability to modernise, lack of timely decision coupled with conflicting demands of the three services can only be offset by the ability of our officers and soldiers to lay down their lives — even if it is to achieve a pyrrhic victory.

The author is a retired admiral of the Indian Navy
Learning from CWG

Time to Plan and Act: Ex Servicemen Barakhana at Bangalore

TIME TO PLAN AND ACT- EX-SERVICEMEN BARAKHANA ON 2 OCT 2010
An Officer’s responsibility towards his Men does not end with his retirement; it is a lifelong commitment. We, Officers, owe it our Men, whom we had the honour & privilege to lead, while in service.
Respected Veterans,
Jai Hind.
1. We, the Veteran community in Bangalore, had been organizing various Veterans’ activities & events, since April 2008, showcasing the strength of Gaurav Senanis (Ex-Servicemen) by reaching out to our retired JCOs, NCOs & OR and families, enabling their participation in large numbers. With this in mind I had been hosting Lunch for retired JCOs, NCOs & ORs during the last two years at my residence, on 2 Oct. They in return had expressed their happiness and gratitude in being so honoured. Witness to such sincere sentiments, I decided that through the rest of my life, on 2 Oct, I would invite them to participate in lunch at my home.
2. After seventeen Gaurav Senanis, a few of them with their spouses, participated in lunch at my home on 2 oct 2009, such involvements have become routine every two or three months, strengthening our bonds of brotherhood & camaraderie. In reciprocation, when Gaurav Senani L/Nk Naidu suggested a couple of months ago, that we have a luncheon meeting at his residence, we all agreed; and seventeen of us incl Brig Reddy & myself had lunch at Naidu’s residence; with positive impact on bonhomie and mutual respect & regards amongst the retired veteran community.
3. Come 02 Oct 2010. We, the retired Officers at Bangalore, plan to host a lunch for all retired JCOs, NCOs & OR of the Army and their equivalents in the Navy & Air Force and Defence Family Pensioners at the Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka site, Bangalore. The Barakhana with 1000 Gaurav Senanis participating is to be a great event; further strengthening bonds of brotherhood & camaraderie amongst retired Defence community. We plan to invite the local Fmn Commanders of the Army, Navy & Air Force, the CDA (Pension), Defence Pension Disbursing Officer (DPDO) and a few Civilian Dignitaries; to thank them for their assistance & unstinted support to the community.
4. I now appeal to all Veteran Officers across Bharatvarsh, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Arunachal, Nagaland & Manipur to Punjab, Rajasthan & Gujarat to PLEASE consider hosting a Barakhana for all retired JCOs, NCOs & OR of the Army and their equivalents in the Navy & Air Force, at their respective cities, towns & villages on 2 Oct every year. The impact of such yearly activity, would strengthen the bonds of brotherhood & camaraderie within the veteran community and enable rendering a helping hand to the needy and not so fortunate ones.
Regards,
Col Shaitan Singh Rajan of Jingergacha
A son of an Infantryman (a Garhwali) and A Bombay Sapper

AN APPEAL TO ALL RETIRED OFFICERS OF THE ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE AT BANGALORE
PLEASE JOIN HANDS IN HOSTING A LUNCH FOR RETIRED JCOs, NCOs & OR OF THE ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE AND DEFENCE FAMILY PENSIONERS AT BANGALORE AS PER DETAILS GIVEN BELOW:
Retired Officers of the Army, Navy & Air Force at Bangalore cordially invite retired JCOs, NCOs & OR of the Army, Navy & Air Force and Defence Family Pensioners for BARAKHANA (Lunch) at 12 Noon on Saturday, 02 October 2010 at the RASHTRIYA SAINIKA SMARAKA site, Bangalore adjacent to Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain on Chowdaiah Road
Opposite Nehru Planetarium, near Raj Bhawan, Bangalore.
Please confirm your participation by Post Card or Email
RSVP
Veteran Col SS Rajan, IESM Convenor Karnataka & South Zone
77, 1st Cross Shankarpuram, Opp. Shankar Mutt, Basavanagudi – 560 004

From: yoginder sharma
Date: 15 September 2010 18:04
Subject: AN APPEAL TO ALL RETIRED OFFICERS OF THE ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE AT BANGALORE
To: Colonelrajan Srinivas
Dear Rajan,
What a noble, admirable and thoughtful initiative!
My congratulations- Bless you, Sir.
We talk; you act and how!!!
Am not in Bangalore or else would have joined up.
Will anyone take up the 'challenge' here (Hyderabad/ Secunderabad).
Don't know; not likely if 'past' is an indicator?
Let hope run eternal in human heart-some 'selfless- live-wire' may yet emerge!
Compliments and best wishes.
Yogi
Lt Gen YN Sharma, Former Army Commander

Readers Remember Lt Gen Nathu Singh

References and earlier posts:

Gen Nathu Singh & AFSPA: Readers Views

Lt Gen Nathu Singh: Courage and Candour has few equals or parallels

Lt Gen Nathu Singh's short bio- data by Maj Gen VK Singh

Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
I am attaching two photos of Gen Nathu Singh
Regards
VK Singh (Maj Gen VK Singh)

From: Sureshwar Sinha
Sent: 07 September 2010 10:40
To: Kamboj Chander
Subject: GEN NATHU SINGH … edited …
Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
Having read the above messages, I could not resist mentioning the interview General Thakur Nathu Singh gave me for my book, 'Sailing and Soldiering in Defence of India'. Earlier we had had many informal chats, as his son the late Rear Admiral R.V. Singh, {who was my course mate in the 2nd JSW now N.D.A. course}, along with another course mate, Captain R.N.Singh, had brought back a Land Rover from London for the General, by driving it all the way to Delhi. Though the vehicle was in pretty bad shape after the trip, the General did'nt bat an eye lid, and simply said that he was glad we had a nice and adventurous trip.
Coming back to my formal interview with him. It is well known that he was favoured by Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck to be the first Indian Army Chief and had made his recommendation accordingly. But in converstions with the then DM, Sardar Baldev Singh and the PM Mr. Nehru, Gen. Nathu Singh had said that it might not be fair to supersede General Cariappa. He was still young and could have been a Chief later, but his frank and honestly argumentative nature was not liked by his political bosses.
He recalled that at the time of the Chinese invasion of Tibet, he was the GOC-in-C of the Eastern Command, and had suggested that to the powers that be that one of his brigades could hold up the Chinese at the fort of Chamdo, whilst two more in reserve, could have prevented any breakthrough by them, as forces available to them then were far less in those days. But he was ignored. Our history and present security scenario would have been far different had he been listened to
As regards Kashmir, we had a first hand account of events from General Thymayya, when after relinquishing command in Kashmir, he came as our Commandant of the integrated academy, composed of the Military Wing {IMA} and the JSW.
But have we learnt the lessons even today?
Cmdr SD Sinha {Retd)

From: Yati Panwar
Sent: 07 September 2010 01:51
To: Kamboj Chander
Subject: Re: ON GEN NATHU SINGH
Dear Brig Kamboj,
Many mails are coming in talking about Gen Nathu Singh. I have never met the gentleman in real life but gleaned a lot about his towering personality from his ACR's (dating back to 1920's) that are preserved in the Archives of the MS Branch. I glanced through those captivating accounts while reorganising the archives in 1995. I do not recollect the exact contents but the British Officers were rather piercing in their description of him - they were certainly as much in awe of him as they were unable to see him straight in the eye.
Perhaps (...) one may be asked to revisit the MS Archive to retrieve the contents for the benefit of all of us- i am sure they would be as much revealing as they would be inspirational.
Best regards,
Yati Panwar
Lt Gen YS Panwar, Former Commandant MCTE

From: Krishan K Punchhi
To: vinod pasricha
Sent: Tue, September 7, 2010 10:13:05 PM
Subject: Re: Gen Nathu Singh
Dear Pasha,
I'm glad you sent your mail to me. I was just wondering whether I should share my thoughts with others and now I will. This mail will eventually be copied to all my friends. I'm glad you want to include the reference to Lt Gen Thakur Nathu Singh in the book you are writing about Indian Navy's 300 Sqn.
Yes, our friend and colleague, Ranvijay Singh, was the second son of Lt Gen Thakur Nathu Singh. This is the first time that I too have heard of their surname Rathore. RV or Ranu was 2 JSW and I belong to 7 JSW.
I first came to know about Lt Gen Thakur Nathu Singh when we were told that he was going to take the salute at the passing out parade at JSW. I have taken part in four parades, 4JSW to my own 7JSW. Sh. Surjit Singh Majithia took our salute. So, Thakur Saheb must have taken the salute of 4th, 5th or 6th course. This happened in mid fifties and I hope my memory is not playing tricks with me. I also remember that he had a religious scripture ( Bhagvat Gita? ) in his hand and he read out and translated a shloka out of it. That is how he ended his lecture. This was most unusual. Here was a high ranking officer who was not fully anglicised, who valued and cherished Indian philosophy.
When I joined the Seahawk Sqn in the UK, RV was already there and so was Kumud, his wife. Kumud Bhabhi was a very fine and gentle lady and it was a pleasure interacting with both of them. That is when I came to learn that RV's father was that famous Thakur Nathu Singh. Later on when RV became the Sqn Cdr and we all embarked on VIKRANT, Kumud Bhabi took all the wives under her wings and really looked after them. Indu, my newly married wife, received special attention.
Years later, I think it was in Delhi that RV held a dinner party to which we were also invited. That is where I had the proud privilege of meeting the General. I think the elder son was also there. We all found him to be a grand old man, down to earth with no airs, very proud of his sons and very nice to all of their friends. During the talks, we learnt about Ranu's naval trg in the UK and his jeep trip back to India. Gen sahib wanted a brand new jeep and sent the money to his son. He bought the jeep and, as agreed to, he drove it back to India. Another friend and course mate ( Gokhale? ) was with him. Somewhere in the Middle East, the jeep went out of control and rolled over. Luckily, no one was hurt and the jeep was drive-able. So, they continued and entered Pakistan. There they were stopped and questioned. Once their identity was established, the MP pilot jeep and outriders were lined up. Thakur Nathu Singh had requested his old friend Gen Ayub (?) to look after RV and ensure he had no problems in Pakistan. So, a battered jeep was piloted and escorted like a VIP vehicle and came to Wagah in grand style. In that party, there was much lighthearted banter about RV's driving prowess.
We had to leave the party early as our very small son was alone at home under ayah's supervision. The general made it a point to come to the main door and see us off with all the love and affection that you show to a son and bahu. That family was full of decent sanskars. It is a pity that Kumud bhabhi and RV are no more. edited...
I close with best wishes and kind regards ...mac.
Cdr KK Punchhi
President Indian Navy Foundation, Canada

From: MG Kapoor
Sent: 07 September 2010 01:32
To: Kamboj Chander
Subject: Re: ON GEN NATHU SINGH
Dear Brig Kamboj Sir,
I have read with great attention officer's tributes to Gen Nathu Singh. It really fills one with pride that our great Indian Army can boast of having such great Generals. It was very satisfying.
I have a suggestion. We do have many more great leaders of whom the present generation may know very little but nonetheless they need be remembered. Why not to start similar tributes to such great leaders? Amongst others, one such leader who comes to my mind is great Lt General Bikram Singh. Others are Lt General Kulwant Singh, Lt General PS Bhagat, Lt Gen Harbux Singh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjun Singh, and so on and so forth. Such like tributes to them would kindle the flame of patriotism amongst us all and in particular the present generation of the armed forces who are the pillars of our armed forces in times to come.
With kind regards,
MG Kapoor

Lt Gen Nathu Singh: Courage and Candour has few equals or parallels

Dear Brig Kamboj.
1... edited... I have read with great care to what has been written about Lt Gen Nathu Singh. He was a great son of India, nationalist to the core and a true patriot. He was fortuitous that he had the benefit of a Royal and of the Nehru till he fell foul with Pandit Nehru post Independence.
2. His 2nd/3rd Son-Ran Vijay Singh as a Rear Admiral from the Navy. He was 1st/2nd JSW and was a Flier. Post Retirement, Family stays at Sanik Vihar Delhi. His Wife her Son to play with our Son at Vizag and the remain friends. I believe his Eldest Daughter is married Shri Arjun Singh. There would be many Naval Officers who can brief you better. Commader KK Punchi an Aviator for one.
3. History would record that one of the great blunders of UPA-2 would be not to grant OROP, indifference to difficulties of Veterans-particularly of Junior Officers and Other Ranks. Their this action has allowed IESM to be born. This Movement has created a forum and a platform for personal accounts, the real happening of historical events which were suppressed or not aired by ESM themselves in the best traditions of the yore. Whilst still remaining apolitical, they have been forced to demand their rights. But most importantly in this age of Internet and TV, they have united the ESM as never before. Not putting Henderson Brooks Report or the military history in public domain has become irrelevant. Sardar Patel's Letters and Gen Thakur Nathu Singh have found their rightfull place in military folk lore.
4. Lastly permit to say whilst doing invaluable service, IESM is still to attain full contours of democracy and inclusiveness and functions more like Mini Army Headquarters with writings in the-President is pleased--style. Of course there are many distinguished Air Force and Naval Officers on your honour rolls but few writes come from them. It cannot be that they do not know English. Similarly like Parliament the Other Ranks should be writing like US Army. Vernacular Languages can be accommodated in your signals with Computer translations. Then it would be become truly representative.
With best regards,
Cdr Prem P Batra Retired

Dear Brig Kamboj,
I do not know how many of you readers have had an opportunity to meet Gen Nathu Singh in person. I consider it my privilege to record my meeting with this illustrious soldier. It was in the year 1987. I was a Col in the Pay Cell. One fine morning, I was summoned by the Adjutant General, and told to go to the MH in Delhi Cantt and 'brief' Gen Nathu Singh on the effect of the Fourth Pay Commission on the pension of the KCIOs. Armed with all the details and the relevant files, I went to the Senior Officers' ward and reported to the general. The next two hours were moments to remember. I have not forgotten a word of what he said.
His pension meant nothing to him. He was an angry old man. He just did not like the way service officers were treated by the nation. What he said about about Field Marshal Cariappa is unprintable. According to him, the down slide of the service officers in the table of precedence started during that period. But the words which have got etched in my memory are the concluding part of the meeting. Gen Nathu Singh asked me if my 'Joru' ( wife ) was employed somewhere. When I answered in the affirmative, he said, "Chhore, too eik joroo ke liye nahiN kamaa sakta. Hamaare time meiN ham chaar joru ko samhaal sakte thei!" ( My dear child, you are not able to earn enough for just one wife. In our times, the salary was sufficient to support FOUR wives!"
When I debriefed my boss, his reaction was, "Forget what he says. the old man has gone senile". Be that as it may, I think he was a fine soldier. I will write some other time, about why some British officers had to be retained to provide leadership to our armed forces for several years after our Independence . Many of us remember RSM Ayeling in the NDA, and it is common knowledge that the Chiefs of the Air Naval and the Air Staffs were British until long after Aug 1947.
So much for Gen Nathu Singh. As per him, the history of the Indian Army would have been different if the first COAS was some one else.
But as Ghalib says:
Hui muddat ki Ghalib mar gaya par yaad aata hai,
Voh har ik baat par kehna ki yoon hota to kya hota!"
With fond regards,
Maj Gen Surjit Singh (Retd)
PS
The first two lines of the above ghazal are even more poignant for the Ghalib fans let me record them:
Na thaa jab kuchh, Khudaa tha,kuchh na hota to Khudaa hotaa
Duboya mujh ko honee ne ,na maiN hota, to kya hotaa?

NATHU SINGH AND CARIAPPA
Dear Brigadier Kamboj,
I was Gen Oberoi's CSO in Western Command, and I dare not contradict him. But since this concerns military history, I can't let it pass.
The story about Nathu Singh being offered the post of C-in-C is true. But it was not Nehru, but Sardar Baldev Singh who did it. Nehru did not like Nathu one bit. In the meeting that Gen Oberoi mentions, Nathu Singh objected to his proposal of keeping British officers in India, I am giving below extracts from Nathu Singh's biography that is part of my book LEADERSHIP IN THE INDIAN ARMY - BIOGRAPIHES OF TWELVE SOLDIERS. I have copies of the correspondence between Nathu Singh and Nehru and Baldev Singh.,The original Nathu Singh papers are with his son, Th. Amarjeet Singh, in Jaipur. Colonel Guman Singh, his son in law, has also given me some papers.
I have met Gen Nathu Singh. In fact I spent two weeks in MH Jodhpur in 1993, when we were both in adjoining rooms, but shared the same bathroom. I am attaching his biography, to give the real story.
regards,
VK Singh
Lt Gen Nathu Singh- A short resume by Maj Gen VK Singh

Order your copy of LEADERSHIP IN THE INDIAN ARMY- BIOGRAPIHES OF TWELVE SOLDIERS
Pulse of profound Patriotism and Professionalism vibrates in Lt Gen Nathu Singh's Nationalism exibited through his courage and candour that has few equals or parallels...
Click here to order

Denigrating the Armed Forces: A Dangerous Agenda

(Published in Indian Defence Review Sep 2010). Need to subscribe to read the full article: click here
Denigrating the Armed Forces: A Dangerous Agenda
While watching TV on 03 June 2010, viewers were shocked to read breaking news – “Army shamed by sex scandal.” Another channel informed viewers that a serving Lieutenant General had been forced to resign for molesting another officer’s wife while on an official tour to Israel. Every channel tried to outdo each other by sensational headlines. Reputation of the military leadership in general and that of the General Officer concerned was torn to shreds. Most e-papers reproduced the news item released by PTI. The furor got somewhat dampened when the Army Headquarters (AHQ) issued a denial. It said that preliminary investigations had shown that there were a number of loopholes in the account of allegations and that further investigations were in progress. It also clarified that the General Officer had neither resigned nor had been asked to submit his resignation.

It is learnt that the high level Court of Inquiry (C of I) convened by the Army Headquarters has found the allegations to be totally baseless. Apparently, either the concerned PTI correspondent had erred in not confirming the veracity of the report with AHQ or was a willing party to the slander campaign. It is doubtful if he would ever be taken to task for his transgression. Predictably, PTI did not consider it necessary to apologise for its senseless blunder. Similarly, it is unlikely that other over-enthusiastic media players can muster enough moral courage to regret their mistake publically.

Similarly, media coverage of the Sukhna land case is characterised by unrelenting campaign to tarnish the image of the armed forces by targeting its senior officers. Facts of the case were totally and intentionally ignored to justify allegation of gross misappropriation. The case was nonchalantly termed as a scam despite the fact that the land in question was privately owned and did not belong to the Army; no transfer took place and no money ever exchanged hands. The civilian owner wanted a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Army before investing resources in the construction of a school on the said land, lest there be objections subsequently. The total case revolved around an act of indiscretion by a General Officer when he recommended issuance of NOC to the incumbent Corps Commander. Incidentally, no pressure can be exerted by a Military Secretary as Corps Commanders do not report to him.

Not one media personality cared to find out as to what the scam was. The coverage dealt with the case as if it were another fodder scam or Chhattisgarh loot. As most TV channels thrive on sensationalism, speakers from various fields were invited to air their views. Without understanding the real nature of the case, they took stands as per their own prejudices and mindset. A rare sane voice was invariably silenced by an aggressive anchor carrying the mandate to steer discussion as per the channel’s agenda. Objectivity was the inevitable casualty. One self-proclaimed military writer of suspect credentials went to the extent of stating that the accused officers should be publically shot dead. He forgot that Indian governance works purely on recommendations – every political leader and bureaucrat issues numerous letters of recommendations every day. Should they all be shot dead or is the law of the land different for the services?... subscribe to IDR to read full article...
Major General Mrinal Suman, AVSM, VSM, PhD (Retd)

Naxal menace has no military solution: Ex- DG BSF

Arunima , CNN-IBN Posted on Jun 10, 2010 at 17:37
Former Director General of Border Security Force EN Rammohan has cautioned the Government against deploying Army to tackle Naxals.
Courtesy NDTV
Rammohan, the head of the one-man committee that investigated the Naxal ambush which killed 76 security personnel in Dantewada, told CNN-IBN that sending in the Army in the Naxals-infested areas will lead to civil war
CNN-IBN: Is Army the solution? What's your view?
EN Rammohan: Army is not the solution. There is no military solution to this problem. The problem is basically because of the domination of the upper class on the lower class, denial of land rights to them and now denial of forest rights to them.
CNN-IBN: Sir, a lot of people in the establishment in the government including people in positions, in the authority or the decision making think it's a purely law and order problem. That's the reason why we need more weapons and more military forces, greater air support to tackle this Naxal problem?
EN Rammohan: I don't agree at all. I don't that there is a military solution to this problem or need of Army at all because it's your own people. For 60 years you have done nothing for them, they were only suppressed; taken away everything from them. First of all give them those facilities or at least announce them. Enforce the land sealing legislation. There are people who own 15,000 acre of land. In Bihar, landlords openly say with contempt that “Hum toh apne zameen kutto or billi ke nam pe laga dete hain” (We keep our lands in the name of our dogs and cats). What is the arrogance of this kind? When is this going to stop?
CNN-IBN: Do you think CRPF is well-equipped to handle a war of this scale?
EN Rammohan: My point about CRPF is a basically a law and order force. The force is excellent, the men are excellent but it needs good leadership. Paramilitary forces like BSF and ITBP - their ethos is different.
CNN-IBN: You have mentioned problem of leadership. In your report you have cited that command and leadership failure at Chintalnar and at the same time Home Ministry went ahead and gave instructions to take action against those state level officers, who you have reportedly told to take action then. There has been no action against those state level officers. What do you have to say?
EN Rammohan: I have not named any officer in my report. It is the responsibility of the Home Ministry to publish the report or not. I will not say anything about it.
Naxal menace has no military solution: Ex- DG BSF

Indian Army: Inflated Annual Confidential Reports creates sycophancy

Curbing Inflated ACRs
The curse of inflated ACRs is the bane of the Army. This need to be checked by simply following the laws of averages where in any organisation there are very few outstanding persons and equally few below average persons. The bulk is in the average category. The Air Force and the Navy follow a very sound ACR system in which the inflation of the ACRs is negligible as compared to the army. In these services due weightage is given to the technical acumen of an individual unlike in the army, where organisation of a non professional event, like a sports event or a dinner party, has an over riding bearing on one’s career prospects. If a person is a good flyer in Air Force or a good technician in the Navy he gets his due. On the other hand in the army a prestigious DSSC Wellington graduate (psc), is also judged for his event management skills which are of no professional consequence. A 9 pointer ACR should be as rare as a PVC or a PVSM. The bulk of the Indian army officers should find satisfaction in 5 or 6 pointer ACRs with bright ones getting an odd ‘7 pointer’. An ‘8 pointer’ should be personally judged by two levels up and if deemed otherwise by the RO or the SRO, it should negatively reflect on the poor judgment of the IO. This will not only reduce the rat race but will also show some logic in the reporting system. Further more for those persons who are actually outstanding, there will be lesser competitions from other officers who are actually average but graded higher than what they deserve. The ACR form should also have a column to indicate whether the Reporting Officer is a good judge of his command or not. Our ACR system is the root cause of all the ills in the army. Earlier it is corrected the better.
Brig Harwant Singh(Retd)
Read the full article
ACRs in the Army: click here

ACR- Stab in the Back?
1. He has done his job well and has produced results. Has done various courses including the prestigious ones on competitive basis. Has held various important appointments. Has, may be, an award or a decoration.
2. His superiors find nothing wrong with him, indeed, find him good and recommend him for his next promotion.
3. One day he is told that he is not suitable for promotion. And this has been decided by a bunch that doesn’t know him, has never seen him, find nothing wrong with him and yet he bites the dust. Hasn’t he been stabbed in the back? (He is, of course, an officer of the Indian Army!)
To Be Objective or Not To Be
1. What you write in an ACR must be objective and never subjective. Very sound advice! All those who write ACRs know this. They also know that if one is to get his promotion (that is the “objective” in other words), he must be given a 8 point if not a 9 point report. Only then he has a fair chance. Anything less, he is doomed.
2. If you want to punish one, give him 7 points. He has to be recommended for promotion, as that is the rule. But he will never make it, and knows it. He can’t complain as he is above average and can’t support a claim for a better grading. He can neither smile nor weep.
3. Isn’t the IO being really ‘objective’ when he gives 8 or 9 points? Well, mustn’t he ensure that he attains his objective? So, why all this fuss about a large number of officers getting 8 and 9 points? Hasn’t the situation been made to order?
Col BN Ratha(Retd)
04 Jun 10

Moderator Comment
Armies in which promotions depend on personal prejudices, rather than dispassionate assessments of professional capability, will see poor quality leadership rise to the top. "There are many senior military officers who surround themselves with career opportunists. This is in part because they invariably begin to believe the sycophants who gather around him." How can such senior officers as IO, RO and SRO write a fair objective ACR of their juniors?

The ACRs and Medical Reports do not generally represent the true picture of the Officer especially from rank of Brigs to Lt Gens as all are branded "High Profile" (9 pointer). The Medical Standards need to be made more stringent to knock out the flab. Very few Generals can pass the mandatory physical standards as no tests are conducted for their physical fitness assessment. Fifty percent or so of the Generals are medically unfit but due to their superior rank and sphere of influence they retain SHAPE One category till retirement and most of them aspire to serve and retire in and around Delhi having developed local interests, as per statistics.

Army hit by sex scandal

Army hit by sex scandal
3 Jun 2010, 1425 hrs IST
In a major embarrassment for the Army, the Engineer-in-Chief, Lieutenant General A K Nanda has been accused of sexual misconduct towards the wife of a fellow Army officer. There have been unconfirmed reports that he even has been asked to resign; at any rate the allegations made to Army authorities by the victim seem to be strong enough for the general to now face an internal probe.

If the general is found guilty, he could face a court martial and be forced to either resign or take an early retirement and could even lose his pension.

The lady concerned is the wife of the technical secretary of the Engineer-in-chief, and was allegedly sexually misbehaved with by the accused lieutenant general during a trip to Israel. She thereafter reportedly complained to the Army Chief's wife, who is also the president of the Army Wives' Welfare Association (AWWA).

A serious a charge against such a senior general who is almost on the verge of retirement, warrants two possible responses by authorities; He could be asked to leave the Army immediately, or face a courtmartial. Both options would be a major embarrassment for the Army. But the reputation of the Army is at stake and one can expect the Army Chief to take prompt and stringent action to set the right example.

In the last 20 years there have been several cases where officers have been asked to leave the defence services on account of 'stealing the affections of a brother officer's wife' - as mentioned in the rules and regulations. However cases of sexual misconduct is also a criminal offence and can attract civil prosecution.

Wing Commander (retired) Bakshi, commenting on the development, said "If this lady reports the matter, authorities will take suitable action, they will order a court of inquiry for which suitable officers will be selected. Then, if there is enough evidence against the accused, the Army chief can call for a courtmartial. The general will also get judicial guarantees and an opportunity to defend himself against the allegation. There is a feeling that in the Armed forces people can get away with such things - that is wrong. The standards are very high provided the commanders can maintain them."
Army hit by sex scandal

Lt-Gen accused of molesting aide Col’s wife
The accused, Lt-Gen A K Nanda (59), who as the engineer-in-chief (E-in-C) is among the eight principal staff officers of the Army chief, is alleged to have molested the wife of his aide, Colonel C P S Pasricha, during an official trip to Israel in the second week of May.

There were even indications that the case could be the result of some dirty top-level jostling for the "extremely lucrative" E-in-C post, controlling "all the construction and works projects" of the 1.13-million strong Army spread across the country. In the steeply hierarchical structure of the armed forces, a senior officer being sacked or resigning before his term ends can change the entire chain of succession after him. Nanda is to retire in September.

Nanda’s wife, Neerja, too jumped to her husband’s defence. "The allegations are not true. I was also part of the five-day trip to Israel... I can vouch 100% for my husband’s character. We have been married for 35 years. Let the Army conduct an inquiry... the truth will come out," she said.
Lt-Gen accused of molesting aide Col’s wife: TNN, Jun 3, 2010, 05.37pm IST
Sex scandal in Army takes many twists and turns

Inference from Media Reports
1. Do wives accompany officers on Official Foreign assignments. Even if permission has been granted it behooves on the Senior officer to maintain decorum and honour in keeping with the traditions of the Military in so far as ladies are concerned.
2. The trip primarily seems to be for joint vacation to Egypt for which advance payments had been made.
3. Junior officer's contention of not reporting in foreign soil is genuine. No one will want to throw up dirty linen abroad. Molestation is a serious charge where the accused can be arrested irrespective of status or rank in any country irrespective of one's nationality.
4. The Senior Officer by posting out his Junior Officer to Bhopal on return to Delhi exposes his complicity.
5. Performance of an Officer cannot diminish in a couple of days in a foreign nation.
6. The onus rests with the accused to prove his innocence.

Kargil War: Top commander fudged war records

27/05/2010
Top commander fudged Kargil war records
The Armed Forces Tribunal has held that a former Army commander showed bias towards a brigadier under whose command some of the major victories were achieved in the 1999 Kargil conflict and directed that the affected officer be considered for a notional promotion.

The Tribunal has asked the Army to consider former 70 Infantry Brigade Commander Brigadier Devinder Singh for promotion to the notional rank of major general and to put the relevant records and documents pertaining to operations by his formation in Batalik sector written by Lt. Gen. Kishan Pal, then General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, be corrected and put in the right perspective.

In its order, the Tribunal, headed by Justice A K Mathur, held that "the annual confidential reports (ACRs) were not written in an objective and unbiased manner" by Lt. Gen. Pal.

Noting that the report of a person who writes the ACRs in a biased manner could not be allowed to sustain, it observed that the then GOC was not favourably motivated towards Brigadier Singh and had attempted to tailor the report belittling his achievements.

"As per the Tribunal order, I will also be considered for promotion to the notional rank of a major general and the records about the operations by my brigade in the war will be set straight," Brig (retd) Singh said here.

In his plea, which was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Principal Bench of the Tribunal, Brig Singh said he had contended that in the post-Kargil operations report, Lt Gen Pal had falsely shown four of his most successful battalions under a fictitious headquarters commanded by the then Deputy General Officer of 3 Infantry Division, Brig Ashok Duggal.

"For reasons best known to Lt Gen Kishan Pal, he was favouring and giving credit to Brig Duggal and my command tenure was shown in bad light. Though it could not help him and he could not take his next rank, I had to suffer a lot because of this act," Brig Singh said here.

The Tribunal has also asked the Army to expunge all the ACRs of Brig Singh written by Lt Gen Pal. It, Singh said, has also observed that because of the operational differences between him and Lt Gen Pal, the GOC was not favourably motivated towards him and had attempted to tailor reports belittling his achievements.

During the Kargil operations, the Srinagar-based 15 Corps under its Lt Gen Pal had the responsibility of evicting Pakistan Army regulars and intruders from Indian posts in the mountains along the National Highway 1A in the Ladakh region. Maintaining that it was a long struggle since the Kargil conflict 11 years back, Brig Singh said, "Certainly one feels vindicated.

"One has gone through a number of stages of non-statutory complaints, statutory complaints, legal notices and several writ petitions...Finally the order has seen the light of the day."
Top commander fudged Kargil war records
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XV Corps leadership punished officers, who warned of looming threat, to cover up failures: critics
Kargil cases point to disturbing command failures by Praveen Swami: The Hindu

Indian Military: Abolish Sahayaks

Par panel asks Army to abolish Sahayaks for officers
New Delhi: A Parliamentary Committee on Defence on Thursday asked the Army to take a leaf out of the Navy and the Air Force to abolish the "demeaning and humiliating" practice of employing jawans as sahayaks of officers.

The strong recommendation from the committee comes after the Defence Ministry in its reply to a 2008 report on "stress management in the armed forces" had virtually rejected the suggestion that the sahayak system be done away with.

In an action taken report tabled in both the Houses of the Parliament, the committee said it was unable to comprehend why it was necessary to continue with the sahayak system that "lowers the self-esteem of a jawan" when the Navy and Air Force have abandoned it.
Par panel asks Army to abolish Sahayaks for officers

Join the Army, be a Batman
There’s no denying that our Army is professional and well-trained and prides itself on its war record. But fighting abilities somehow don’t seem to go with dish-washing talents. But with an employment crunch staring India in the face, perhaps institutions could come up with diplomas in sweeping, gardening, car-washing, dog-walking etc and the gentlemen holding these diplomas could get a direct entry as brave Batmen ready to show 'courage under fire'. I guess the only fire some of them may face may be in the kitchen.

The army feels an officer gets a sahayak for the upkeep of his uniform, weapons and other equipment, as also act as his radio operator and ‘‘buddy’’ during combat. So, let me get this straight. An Army officer, who undergoes such rigorous training and is responsible for a large body of men under his command, can’t even take care of his own uniform? He needs his ‘sahayak’ to polish his shoes and iron his clothes? Anyway, why would your 'radio operator' be with you 24x7 dusting your drawing room or getting 'baba' from school. Maybe he'll radio from school to inform 'sahab' that his son has reached school.

I don’t want to deride the courageous officers of the Indian Army. We all know how bravely many of them fought on the borders. But that doesn’t mean his perks should include treating a fellow soldier as a personal servant. All Army formations have been told to ensure sahayaks are not employed for ‘‘menial household work’’ since as combatant soldiers they should not be used for anything which adversely impacts their dignity and self-respect. Question is who’s following this new rule?

In the late 90s, I was staying in Army Cantonment, Jaipur. The Army Chief came on a visit and in his speech advised the officers to avoid treating soldiers as orderlies and misusing Army rules and benefits. At that very time, barely a km from the venue, three tents had been set up outside a 'separated family accommodation'. In these tents were staying 4 soldiers of a particular regiment sent from J&K by the commanding officer of their unit to look after his family in Jaipur. What medals would they have taken home?
Read more:
Join the Army, be a Batman

ABOUT MANAS GUPTA
Manas Gupta believes an article is incomplete without a dose of humour. An Assistant News Editor with the Times of India. His interests include defence, cricket and the bizarre world of international news.

Reunion and parting are emotional experiences Soldiers endure

WHEN WE LEFT THEM BEHIND
The other day, while surfing, the channels my attention got arrested on the scene of the 70s movie VAJETE where the son, Angad (Kunal Kapoor), a flight cadet is leaving for his advance training. The scene has the first class compartment in the back ground with the parents, Shashi Kapoor, the father and Rekha the mother are facing the son. All professionals and masters at emoting. the father, composed with a stoical continence hiding the turmoil inside, the mother has her face depicting the whole gamut, overwhelmed with a plethora of diverse emotions: pride in her son, her affection for him, pain of looming separation also apprehension and uncertainty of the future, while the son is torn between feelings of leaving the parents and the excitement of joining his comrades soon.

The scene then cuts away to the sitting room of the parents in Bombay. Both a bit distraught: as Kapoor hands over a coffee mug to Rekha who breaks down in a flood of tears with the gates of pent-up emotions opening wide. ‘Let me Cry, Let me Cry,’ she wails, between her uncontrolled sobs as Kapoor tries to comfort her unsuccessfully.

The scene did hit some emotional cord deep inside reminding once again that the fate of the servicemen is that they have to leave the loved ones behind more often than not for the frequent calls of duty.

On such occasions, overwhelmed and preoccupied with my own feelings, emotions, excitements and apprehensions, I was only mildly conscious of the turmoil going on inside of those whom I was left behind over and over again many times over a span of 30 years of service in the Army...

Possibly the first time such a situation arose was when I left along with my brother for Lucknow. I do not recall the occasion but I must have been too excited of the prospects ahead of me of joining the university, to notice the feelings or emotions of my parents.

Things started becoming clear and more specific beginning with my receiving call for training at the erstwhile NDA now known as IMA in 1954.

`Today I have sold my son!’ exclaimed my mother with tears in her eyes; a simple, affectionate and loving lady from a village. My father had just signed the bond required before a cadet could report at IMA. The truth of what my mother had said dawned on me now and I realised that one has to pay a heavy price for wearing ‘OG’.

I could only wave half heartedly at my father that day. Unaware as to his feelings at that time and on my way to Kathgodam from Naniatal from where I was to catch the train to Dehradun. He was too busy controlling an incipient riot-like situation on the road down with the ongoing strike by the roadways employees and waved me on to push ahead quickly without stopping.

Every time I left my parents behind to report for duty, I would look back, at the threshold of the house, to notice a melancholy demeanour and a faraway look in my mother’s eyes as if she was trying to discern what lay in future albeit a “matter of fact” demeanour on my father’s as he came to see me off on the bus stand or the railway station as the case may be.

Later another set of those being “left behind” were formed when I met my future wife Rosy. She along with the family had come to see me off at the Dehradun bus stand. As the bus started off towards Saharanpur Rosy was hidden from my eyes but not from my mind. I was in a dream, lost in my thoughts of the short time spent with her, totally bereft of any awareness or knowledge of her feeling at that time; those that I was to learn much later, post her demise, from her jottings in my diary.

The picture of hurt in Jeet’s eyes, Jeet as I called her post marriage, and her pained expression accompanied me all the way back to Pathankot to join duty, when I had to leave immediately after the delivery of our daughter and also later when, like a good soldier, I abandoned my wife of less than two years and the child of nine months or so to join the unit by 29th October 1959 in far away Assam. ‘Abandoned’ was the word she used then and again many times later to remind me of her mental state on being left behind. What she was feeling at that moment of separation, of being torn from the father’s lap, in her child’s mind and limited experience of world is more difficult to describe or visualise.

The sad lament of the engine's whistle more so as heard in summer nights while sleeping on the terrace of our village home, had a lot more to do with both Jeet and me in later life. It would be reminding us night after night of my impending departure, causing so much pain, by the same train till one late night I would leave her behind tearing my-self from the last embrace, words unsaid to answer the call of Army. I can only visualize her feelings at that juncture. However, I was utterly miserable walking in that dark night, each step taking me farther and farther away from her, silent and lost in my own thoughts with no words being exchanged with the person accompanying me to the station to see me off.

The tenure in Armament Research and Development (ARDE) was immensely enjoyable and satisfying and of a settled life. Then I took the risk of changing track once again; changing from a scientist to a soldier once again. I left for the long journey from Poona, in the last week of December 1970, to the far east of India, this time to Kalimpong in West Bengal. By this time the children were of an age that they would have experienced their own feelings on the parting.

These partings and reunions happen off and on at varying intervals during the service career. A fate ordained for those who serve and their families, so others can sleep in peace and in the comfort of the feeling of security, unaware of the traumatic experience at every of one of those frequent partings.
Brig Lakshman Singh (Retd)